Consumer Trends: Cost Affects Organic Purchasing Decisions

WHITING, Ind. (PRNewswire) — As they say, "you are what you eat." One of the key factors to staying healthy is to eat nutritious food, but sometimes the high cost of healthy food can be a deterrent. A new survey from CouponCabin.com reveals that nearly three-in-four (72 percent) U.S. adults would be more likely to buy organic food items if they were less expensive than regular grocery items. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from May 21st – 23rd, 2012, among 2,212 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

While organic food items are often the healthiest option, 45 percent of U.S. adults said they never or rarely seek out organic food items. On the flip side, 52 percent said they seek out organic food items when food shopping at least sometimes.

U.S. adults report a variety of reasons for not seeking out organic food. Some adults are ambivalent that organic food is that much healthier, as nearly one-third (31 percent) said they aren't sure if organic food is better for you than non-organic. In addition, when asked why they don't seek out organic food items when food shopping, those who never/rarely seek out organic items indicate the following:

They're too expensive – 65 percent

Doesn't matter to me, don't see the purpose – 38 percent

Prefer non-organic food items – 9 percent

Don't understand what organic food items are – 8 percent

Organic food items are not available where I shop – 7 percent

Other – 6 percent

"Whether you shop for organic items or not, healthy food can take a bite out of your monthly budget," said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. "With a little creativity and some homework, you can make healthy food shopping more affordable. In fact, many food shoppers are trying a variety of techniques to keep nutrition high and costs low."

Warrick offers the following tips for healthy food shopping on a budget:

Go local: Check out a local farmer's market or consider joining a produce co-op to find heaps of fresh produce, meats and more at less expensive prices than your local grocery store. Plus, you'll be supporting your local farming community – it's a win-win!

Use coupons: With a little digging, you can find coupons for pretty much any grocery item you need. Be sure to check out the wide range of grocery coupons on CouponCabin.com.

Buy in bulk: Stock up on healthy foods when you can or when there's a sale, and freeze whatever you don't use. Many fruits, vegetables and meats can be easily frozen and used at a later date.

Survey Methodology:

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from May 21st – 23rd, 2012, among 2,212 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact: Allison Nawoj, anawoj@couponcabin.com.